Objective To discuss the preliminary experience of transcatheter aortic valve implatantion in patients with severe aortic valve stenosis. Methods The baseline characteristics, hemodynamic changes and clinical outcomes of the patients received TAVI in our institution were analyzed. Results A total of 36 patients underwent TAVI between April 2012 and March 2014. The mean age was (73.4±8.7) years and 24 (66.7%) of them were men. The mean logistic EuroSCORE was (20.6±9.9)%. 25(70%) patients had bicuspid aortic valves. TAVI was successful in 35 patients (97.2%) and valve-in-valve implantation was required in 4 (11.1%) of them. After the procedure, the mean aortic-valve gradient reduced to (10.5±5.7) mmHg. In 2 patients (5.6%), there was marginal moderate periprosthetic leak. At 30 days, the survival rate was 97.2%. Two patients (5.6%) developed who later showed fuel recovery, without significant sequela. Permanent pacemakers were implanted in 10 patients (27.8%) due to the onset of third-degree atrioventricular block after TAVI. To date, the median follow-up duration has exceeded 323 days. 2 patients died of cancer on 374 days and 680 days after TAVI, respectively. Conclusions TAVI is feasible, safe and effective in treating severe stenosis of bicuspid as well as tricuspid aortic valve in selected Chinese patients unsuitable for surgery.

An analytical method of ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC/PDA-QDa) for the qualitative and quantitative analysis of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC), cannabidiol (CBD), and cannabinol (CBN) in confiscated cannabis was developed.The seized cannabis was extracted in methanol by sonication.The binary mobile phase consisted of methanol (containing 0.1% formic acid) and water.After centrifugation, the supernatant was separated on Waters UPLC BEH C18 column (50 mm×2.1 mm, 1.7 μm) with isocratic elution at a flow rate of 0.2 mL/min.The three cannabinoids were analyzed by photodiode array (PDA) detector at 220 nm and confirmed by mass spectrometer QDa.The correlation coefficient of standard curve for the three cannabinoids in linearity range was not less than 0.999, as well as the recoveries were 82%-102% with the relative standard deviations (RSD) of 0.36%-4.12% at three spiked levels.The method is specific, easy, quick and suitable for confirmation of the cannabinoids in seized cannabis.Cannabis plants in different areas were classified by their chemical phenotype as drug-type or fiber-type plants, taking into account the phenotypic index Δ9-THC, (Δ9-THC+CBN)/CBD, or the Δ9-THC/CBD and the (Δ9-THC+CBN)/CBD ratios.The analysis of the original composition of plant material is necessary for the detection and the quality control of cannabis plants.

Objective To explore the feasibility of biplane-transesophageal echocardiography (Bip-TEE) in measuring the aortic annulus dimension (AAD).Methods Totally 24 patients underwent transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) were collected,and their AAD was measured by two-dimensional transthoracic echocardiography (2D-TTE),two-dimensional transesophageal echocardiography (2D-TEE),Bip-TEE and three-dimensional transesophageal echocardiography (3D-TEE) respectively.These four methods were compared with each other.The correlation between 3D-TEE measures and other three methods were analyzed.Results The AAD measured by 2D-TTE,2DTEE,Bip-TEE and 3D-TEE were (22.02±2.21)mm,(23.34±2.34)mm,(23.89±2.37)mm,(24.21±2.78)mm,respectively.The differences among 4 groups was significant (F=3.88,P=0.01).No statistically significant differences were found between Bip-TEE and 3D-TEE,2D-TEE and 3DTEE,Bip TEE and 2D-TEE (all P＞0.05).There were significant differences between 2D-TTE and 2D-TEE,2D-TTE and Bip-TEE,2D-TTE and 3D-TEE (all P＜0.05).The AAD measured by 3D-TEE were positively correlated with that of 2D-TTE,2D-TEE,Bip-TE (r=0.79,0.88,0.94,all P＜0.05).Conclusion Bip-TEE is a feasible method to measure the AAD rapidly and can provide reliable measurements for the prosthetic valve size in TAVI.